1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber splicing mechanism, an optical fiber splicing structure, and an optical fiber splicing method, for splicing two optical fibers, and more particularly to an optical fiber splicing mechanism, an optical fiber splicing structure, and an optical fiber splicing method, each of which is capable of splicing two optical fibers without using a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an increase in the amount of information transmission in various fields of communication has accelerated the spread of optical fiber communication networks which enable low-loss transmission of a large volume of information. In the optical fiber communication, a shift to a wavelength multiplex system is in process which allows simultaneous transmission of a plurality of pieces of information by multiplexing a plurality of optical wavelengths, so as to transmit a still larger volume of information at a high speed and with efficiency.
With development of the wavelength multiplexing in the optical fiber communication networks, an optical amplifier and other various optical modules for use therein are becoming more and more multifunctional and complicated. An optical module includes various optical components, such as an optical branching filter, an optical isolator, and so forth, which are connected by optical fibers or the like within the optical module. Therefore, multifunctionalization and complexification of the optical modules increases the number of optical components used in each module, and hence the number of optical-fiber junctions for connecting between the optical components.
As a method of splicing two optical fibers, there are generally employed a fusion splicing method for melting together two optical fibers for permanent connection and a connector splicing method using an optical connector which allows the optical fibers to be detachably connected to each other. In the fusion splicing method, ends of optical fibers are melted together at a high temperature in the range of approximately 1700 to 1800xc2x0 C. to form a junction. This method minimizes the size of the junction and enables low-loss connection between the connected optical fibers. On the other hand, the connector splicing method is advantageous in that optical fibers can be easily connected without requiring any special process.
However, in the fusion splicing method, it is required to align end faces of the respective optical fibers to be connected accurately and then fusion-splice the optical fibers to each other at the high temperature in the range of 1700 to 1800xc2x0 C., so that complicated fusing operations are required, and the fusion inevitably takes much time.
On the other hand, in the connector splicing method, it is impossible to reduce the size of each junction, and the cost of splicing optical fibers is increased by the cost of a connector used therefor.
It is an object of the invention to provide an optical fiber splicing mechanism which is capable of minimizing the size of an optical-fiber junction and the cost of splicing optical fibers and reliably connecting the optical fibers by a simple splicing process.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an optical fiber structure which is capable of minimizing the size of an optical-fiber junction and the cost of splicing optical fibers and reliably connecting the optical fibers by a simple splicing process.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an optical fiber splicing method which is capable of minimizing the size of an optical-fiber junction and the cost of splicing optical fibers and as reliably connecting the optical fibers in a simple splicing process.
To attain the first object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical fiber splicing mechanism for splicing two optical fibers, comprising:
the two optical fibers each having a cut end face;
two ferrules attached to the optical fibers, respectively;
a split sleeve for sheathing the two ferrules; and
a heat shrinking tube for constricting the split sleeve.
To attain the second object, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical fiber structure for splicing two optical fibers, comprising:
two ferrules attached to the two optical fibers, respectively;
a split sleeve for sheathing the two ferrules; and
a heat shrinking tube for constricting the split sleeve.
To attain the third object, according to a third object of the invention, there is provided an optical fiber splicing method for splicing two optical fibers, comprising the steps of:
holding cut end faces of the two optical fibers in contact with each other;
sheathing a junction of the two optical fibers with a split sleeve; and constricting the split sleeve to thereby secure the two optical fibers to each other.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention by way of example.